ntvHD is the 1st Regional Malayalam Channel based in UAE , as channel No. 804 on e-life Network. ntv has been there, for about two decades, as pioneers in Malayalam television programme productions, serving all Malayalam channels including the state-owned Doordarshan. ntv has produced thousands of episodes of hundreds of programmes.

Original Article hereTraveling to India has been an overwhelming experience for many from the time immemorial. In the previous centuries, it was the natural bounty and abundant wealth of India that attracted colonial traders from Europe. Sometimes, the ancient heritage and scriptures of India fascinated knowledge enthusiasts from across the world. Sometimes, foreign visitors were wowed by the cultural diversity and incredible stories of India.Even modern-day globetrotters take fancy to the enigmatic being and the mystic soul of India. Whoever visits India carries the abstract footprint of India in their memory or concrete souvenirs in their bags while going back home. This is what happened to an American couple from Los Angeles during their first visit to India in 2004.Charles Kramer and his wife Brenna Moore travelled to the Indian state of Kerala from Los Angeles in 2004. They fell in love with the scenic hill stations, quaint monuments, picturesque backwaters, exuberant culture, lush green landscape and progressive society of Kerala. The impact of Kerala tourism on them was so intense that they named their firstborn ?Kerala? after this particular state of India in 2009.

Charles Kramer and Brenna Moore are great travel enthusiasts, and so are their children including their 8-year-old daughter Kerala. In June 2016, the American couple from Los Angeles set out for globetrotting, along with Kerala and her young brother, Julian. Though India was not on their travel bucket list, they happened to visit India again as their daughter was eager to see and explore Kerala that she was christened after.They did so also on being advised by their guide, Michel, who has an Indian connection in Kerala too. Michel has adopted a boy from a village in Kerala. She got the American couple accommodation in the house of her adopted son?s sister in Cherppunkal, a small Keralite town blessed with the bliss of nature and the simplest way of living.Kerala was enrolled in a local school where she learned Malayalam, the language of her namesake state, for a month or so. She was received with a hearty welcome on the first day of school and offered a chance to address the morning prayer assembly. Her brother, Julian, also got admission to a playschool there. Since she was curious to explore the nuances and experience the tidbits of Kerala?s culture in the native language, her excitement knew no bounds.

The globetrotting American couple from California spent quite a long time in Cherppunkal, giving their daughter adequate space and time to learn the interesting facts of Kerala?s cuisine and culture. Kerala learned how to pronounce and write her name in Malayalam. It doubled her joy in God?s Own Country, where bull racingand boat racing are the most popular mediums of sporty entertainment.Charles Kramer and Brenna Moore, along with their children, left India in January 2017 to tour other places on their travel wishlist. Kerala made some friends in her namesake state, and felt happy about the fact that she would be able to make her native friends as well as acquaintances pronounce her name ?Kerala? accurately.

KOCHI, India (Reuters) - The death toll from the worst floods in nearly a century in the Indian tourist state of Kerala rose to 43 on Wednesday as rising water stranded tens of thousands of people and forced the closure of one of its main airports.The five latest fatalities from the rain that began a week ago came when authorities in the southern state were forced to release water from 35 dangerously full dams, sending a surge into its main river."Presently, 35 reservoirs in the state are releasing water. Many districts in the state are facing floods," the state's chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, said on Twitter.

The Indian Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rain in the state until Saturday, and it has issued a "red alert" for 12 out of its 14 districts.The airport in the port city of Kochi will stay shut until Saturday afternoon.The rain and floods have destroyed and damaged hundreds of houses in the past week and caused significant losses to crops in the state known for its spices and coffee.A senior official with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, Sekhar Lukose Kuriakose, said the seasonal rains have killed more than 200 people in the state since May and displaced many.The state last saw such devastating flooding in 1924.Famous for its coastline and picturesque backwaters, Kerala has become a major destination for domestic and international tourists.

" Hey guys! I was in Kerala during Christmas and got to shoot this video with my sister Vandana. We grew up learning music together but don't get to sing together as much these days, so this was such a lovely opportunity. "Pallivalu Bhadravattakam" is a folk song from Kerala and this song's vibe inspired Shankar and I to write our own original lyrics and English tune. So many amazing people were part of this video!

Huge shoutout to Shiji Ulleri for helping shoot the video and coming all the way from Abu Dhabi. Thanks to fam Shankar Tucker for the music production, videography and editing - as usual, it's kickass. And thanks to Jomy George for playing the chanda and coordinating everything in Cochin! So many people helped out with the video, and I'm so thankful to each and everyone of you! THANK YOU! " - Vidya Vox

A year since we first reported about the Jatayupara Adventure Parkin Kerala the park is now open and promises to enthral adventure lovers. The Jatayupara Adventure Park is about 35 km from Thiruvananthapuram and serves as great weekend or a day-long getaway from the capital. Set among rocky mountainous 20-acre property, the Jatayupara Adventure Park has been constructed under the supervision of movie director and sculptor Rajiv Anchal. The Jatayupara Adventure Park features, among other things, a 200-feet-long and 150-feet-wide and 70-feet-tall sculpture of the mythical bird Jatayu. This is also the world’s largest bird sculpture in the world.

The Jatayupara Adventure Park will also feature several adventure sports such as mountain biking, rock climbing, bouldering, zip lining as well as paint ball, laser tag, archery and air-rifle shooting among others.The folks at Kerala Tourism are hoping to brand the park as an adventure training center and are clearly targeting corporate houses as a venue for for team-building workshops. However there is a lot more to the Jatayupara Adventure Park than just adventure activities. The park also offers ayurvedic spa packages in their spa resort that are housed in caves but equipped with modern amenities while retaining their primitive charm.​Jatayupara Adventure Park also offer a 500m passenger cable car ride will provide breathtaking views of the area and have state-of-the-art amenities. Tourists will be transported in special cars imported from Switzerland with a total passenger capacity of 400 people per hour and a functionality that adheres to international standards of safety.

The 200ft long, 150ft wide and 70ft tall sculpture is the largest functional bird sculpture in the world with an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records​

It was the Kerala Agriculture Department that put forth the suggestion which won the chief minister’s nod. The state government will make an official declaration in this regard on March 21. Unlike the one's produced in other states, the jackfruit which grows in Kerala is free of pesticides and artificial manure.

The government also plans to promote the 'Kerala Jack fruit' as a brand in markets across the country and abroad, highlighting its organic and nutritious qualities.

The government expects a turnover of Rs 1,500cr from the sale and marketing of jackfruit. The raw material for the mass production of chakka chappati, poori, puttu and upma are readily available in the market. The fibre-rich fruit helps keep diabetes at bay and is a good weight-slayer.

Elephant is the state animal of Kerala, while 'great hornbill' the bird and 'kanikkonna' the official flower.

The state had recently declared pearl spot, popularly known as 'karimeen', as its official fish.

Expats from other Indian states join Malayalee women and girls for mega-Thiruvathira

Link to original articleDubai: Passion and patriotism united when 1,246 Indian women in the UAE presented a performance of a traditional dance form of Kerala, Thiruvathira, in Dubai on Friday.The women, a majority of them hailing from the South Indian state of Kerala, presented the dance at the Etisalat Academy.

Their performance was part of a carnival named ‘Pooram Dubai 2017’, an event replicating the mini version of Thrissur Pooram, the most famous cultural festival of Kerala.

From young girls to grandmothers, the dancers — dressed in traditional Kerala attire and with jasmine flowers adorning their hair — offered a visual feast of rhythm and grace to thousands of spectators.Their two-month-long practice sessions in 40 groups at homes, parks and other venues across the UAE found fruition as they danced, uniformly bedecked in finery, for 15 minutes and 30 seconds, choreographed by Malayalam actress and dancer Asha Sharath.Sreerekha Ajithkumar, one of the coordinators of the performance, told Gulf News that a lot of effort had gone into the arrangement for the first-of-its-kind, all-women performance in Dubai.“It was a challenge to locally source the same items for such a large number of participants. We had to get the set sari and mundu (traditional attire) and jewellery from Kerala and also book a bulk order for jasmine garlands from a flower shop here.”Another coordinator, Smitha Suresh, saluted the spirit of the participants. “These wonderful women and girls put in a lot of effort to make this happen.”Age, faith no barThe coordinators particularly appreciated the participation of Seethala Babu, a grandmother in her sixties.“She is the oldest participant and is dancing with a torn tendon in her right hand. She postponed a keyhole surgery and has been managing with physiotherapy sessions to not miss the event. She is also the team leader of 48 women from Al Khail Gate community,” explained Sreerekha.Jaya Gopakumar, another coordinator, said it was heartening to see women of different faiths and non-Malayalees also joining the troupe.“We have Hindu, Christian and Muslim participants. Around 50 women are from other states in the south and north of India.”Hailing from Maharashtra, Ashwini Mohinani, whose daughter Gayatri took part in the dance, said she was excited to join the women dancers after she got to know of the event from an Onam festival celebration she attended with Malayalee friends.“It is a beautiful show they have come up with. I had to drop out in between as I couldn’t manage to go for practice daily due to work. I’m glad my daughter could be a part of it.”Daily practiceRajani Prasanth from Abu Dhabi, who led a 14-member team, said the friends living in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi, did not miss the daily practice and also made it to the weekend practices in Dubai, all thanks to their passion for dancing.Vaishnavi Sreekumar, who runs a private dance institute in Al Ghusais, brought in the biggest team of participants. “We are 76 members. Except three teenagers, all are mothers and four of them are dancing for the first time.”Remya Bineesh, another dance teacher, said the women were excited to be a part of the performance said to bid for the record of the largest Thiruvathira performed outside India.“Whether we set a record or not, we are thrilled that we are participating in this and spreading happiness in Dubai. It is also our tribute to this city and this country.”The Pooram Dubai carnival, organised by Crystal Top Events, also featured a grand percussion performance by traditional drummers flown in from Kerala and ‘kudamaattam’, the changing of the traditional ornate umbrellas by mahouts sitting atop elephants, for which five life-size elephant replicas were arranged.

Visit South of India ( Kerala & Cochin ) - Travel to Kerala & Cochin - Trip to South of India Travel Videos HD, World Travel Guide http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c... Kerala a state in Southern India is known as a tropical paradise of waving palms and wide sandy beaches. It is a narrow strip of coastal territory that slopes down the Western Ghats in a cascade of lush green vegetation, and reaches to the Arabian sea. Kerala borders the states of Tamil Nadu to the east and Karnataka to the north. It is also known for its backwaters, mountains, coconuts, spices and art forms like Kathakali and Mohini Attam. It is the most literate state in India, and a land of diverse religions, where you can find Hindu temples, mosques, churches, and even synagogues. With world class tourist sporting options, ayurvedic spas and treatments, eco-tourism initiatives, a large number of visit options ranging from beautiful high altitude blue mountains to pristine rain forests to golden sun-sand beaches and an enormous range of accommodation, Kerala has much to offer the visitor.d.

Backwaters : Backwaters of Kerala are a maze of lagoons criss-crossed with rivers, shallow pools and canals, all separated from the sea by a narrow strip of sand banks. In many places, the backwaters connect to form large lakes. Backwaters are present throughout the state Astamudi Lake is highly unique due to its topography. This is the most beautiful backwater of Kerala The annual Vallam Kali boat races take place in the backwaters. The boats are large wooden canoes that can accommodate 60 to 100 rowers. The most famous race is for the Nehru Trophy Vallam Kalli, held on the second Saturday of August as a tribute to the former Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who had a keen interest in this sport.

Mountains : The Blue Mountains of the Western Ghats, popularly known as Nilgiris which has numerous hill stations in this area. The most popular is Munnar, the honeymoon capital of the state. The highest peak of the Western Ghats is located at Anamudi (2,695 metres) and is good for trekking. The area is also home to several sanctuaries and forest reserve areas. Several small and big Hill stations, spread in Eastern Districts of Kerala are highly popular picnic spots. Wayanad and Idukki offers several such idyllic picnic spots. There are more than two dozen waterfalls, both large and small, with numerous rapids and springs. The largest fallwaters are at Athirampally, where three milky waterfalls fall at great speed.

Forest Parks : Periyar National Tiger Park, Eravikulam Reserve, Silent Valley Park, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Wayanad Reserves are some of the most popular tourist destinations, offering spectacular insights to the rich flora and fauna biosphere of Kerala. Many of these parks are well known internationally due to presence of exotic animals like Nilgiri Tahr, Gaur, Indian Muntjac, Sambar Deer, Golden Jackal, Jungle Cat, Dhole, leopard and the Indian Tigers, which many are endangered rare species. Some little known animals such as Nilgiri langur, Stripe-necked Mongoose, Indian Porcupine, Nilgiri Marten, small clawed otter, Ruddy Mongoose, and Dusky striped squirrel offers a visual treat to tourists. Wild elephant herds making seasonal visits to water bodies are also seen in many of these parks.

Kerala also has several bird parks, with more than 132 species of birds on record. Thattekkad Salim Rajan Bird Park is one such famous destination along with Malayatoor Forest Reserves

Many popular hill-stations like Nelliyampatty, Peechi Dam, Ranipuram, Vythiri and Kumarakom offers unique natural wildlife parks, with lots of rare flora and fauna to be explore